Continuous excavating loader with pivotal discharge conveyor

ABSTRACT

Tractor and front end continuous loader attachment for same to form continuous excavating vehicle comprising: a C-frame with legs thereon extending rearwardly; a front-mounted, mobile scraping frame secured with a fore and aft extending pivot to, and pushed by, the C-frame; a tractor included in the C-frame to push thereon by means of trunnions and in a position between the scraping frame and the ground; the scraping frame having a frontmounted elevator provided with a cooperating digger thereon, and having at the rear end a swivel conveyor effective for side discharge and provided with an inlet; an interconnecting conveyor on the scraping frame communicatively in tandem between the front-mounted elevator and rear mounted swivel conveyor; and independent wheel suspensions on the scraping frame differentially adjustable to tilt same. The vehicle avoids ponderousness of transport machines possessing large buckets such as the buckets commonly possessed by front end loaders, and the only storage capacity provided for is simply for the material currently in transit between the actual vehicle dig and vehicle discharge stations.

United States Patent MacDonald 1 Aug. 1, 1972 [72] Inventor: Raymore D.MacDonald, I-Iinsdale,

[73] Assignee: International Harvester Company,

Chicago, 111.

[22] Filed: March 17, 1970 21 Appl. No.: 20,314

[52] U.S. Cl. ..37/108, 37/8, 198/9 [51] Int. Cl. ..E02f 5/00 [58] Fieldof Search.. ..37/4, 8, 92, 89, 93, 108; 172/734, 744, 276; 198/9 [56]References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,083,479 4/1963 Knight ..37/126A 3,507,060 4/1970 Gee et a1 ..37/8 3,308,563 3/1967 Danek .3718 X2,696,289 12/1954 Lehman ..198/9 2,851,143 9/1958 Rosetz ..198/93,332,249 7/1967 Idoine ..37/95 X 2,582,538 1/1952 Flynn ..172/276 X3,059,356 10/1962 Lorang ..172/804 3,452,462 7/1969 Martin ..37/126 R3,392,464 7/1968 MacDonald ..37/101 2,595,398 5/1952 Lewis ..198/9 X3,011,273 12/1961 Stumpf ..37/8 X 3,391,776 7/1968 Hancock et al. ..37/4UX 3,523,699 8/1970 Sinkule et al. ..172/311 X 3,272,559 9/1966 Haynes..37/8 X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 257,227 9/1967 Austria..172/276 Primary ExaminerRobert E. Pulfrey Assistant Examiner-R. E.Suter Attorney-Floyd B. Harman 5 7] ABSTRACT Tractor and front endcontinuous loader attachment for same to form continuous excavatingvehicle comprising: a C-frame with legs thereon extending rearwardly; afront-mounted, mobile scraping frame secured with a fore and aftextending pivot to, and pushed by, the C-frame; a tractor included inthe C- frame to push thereon by means of trunnions and in a positionbetween the scraping frame and the ground; the scraping frame having afront-mounted elevator provided with a cooperating digger thereon, andhaving at the rear end a swivel conveyor effective for side dischargeand provided with an inlet; an interconnecting conveyor on the scrapingframe communicatively in tandem between the front-mounted elevator andrear mounted swivel conveyor; and independent wheel suspensions on thescraping frame differentially adjustable to tilt same. The vehicleavoids ponderousness of transport machines possessing large buckets suchas the buckets commonly possessed by front end loaders, and the onlystorage capacity provided for is simply for the material currently intransit between the actual vehicle digand vehicle discharge stations.

1 Claim, 2 Drawing Figures PATENTEDMJB' 1 I972 sum 2 or 2 In 7/& n for:Fagin/ore .D. MacDonald CONTINUOUS EXCAVATING LOADER WITH PIVOTALDISCHARGE CONVEYOR This invention relates to a tractor and a front endcontinuous loader attachment for same. It operates as a continuousexcavating vehicle capable of continuously loading material beingexcavated thereby in situ, i.e., material being dug such as a stratum ofearth being removed right from a proposed roadbed.

Machines employed hitherto for excavation are of two general types. Forone, a cyclic type is used which is limited simply because it is notcontinuous. Some machines of that type operate on a scraping cyclewhereby the scraper part or blade thereof loads a main bowl during aportion of the cycle, the rest of which is devoted to the carry, dump,and return portions of the cycle. Some, actually more analogous to theinstant subject matter, are typified by a conventional tractormountedbucket loader. The operation of the loader is about as slow, becauseeach cycle has sequential functions to dig, raise, carry, dump, andreturn, all as separate steps.

For the other, a bucket type employs a continuously moving series ofexcavating buckets. Some machines of that type have buckets on anendless chain as, for example, a trencher which digs ditches in aspecialized way for laying pipe therein. Some carry buckets on a wheeland are used in pit mining and similar operations. But both bucket typemachines are limited to a particular specialized operation or two whichthey do best, and are limited in their capacity to perform a continuousoperation with sustained and uniform flow.

My invention materially reduces or substantially eliminates drawbackssuch as the foregoing limitations, by providing continuous transfer ofearth, in large volume, from a stratum to the bed of a hauling vehicle,as will now be explained in detail. While the uniqueness of theinvention resides primarily his handling of inplace earth, it has equalapplication in the continuous loading of material in various states,such as stock-piled sand, earth, gravel, and loose spoil.

Features, objects, and advantages will either be specifically pointedout or become apparent when, for

a better understanding of my'invention, reference is made to thefollowing description taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings which show a preferred embodiment thereof and in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view (taken from the left side) of anexcavating vehicle embodying the present invention; and

FIG. 2 is a view thereof in top plan.

More particularly, the central means to provide a front mounting for myloader attachment consists of a C-frame 4. The C-frame 4 is shown withlegs thereon laterally spaced apart and extending rearwardly, and

interconnected by a heavy, semicircular upstanding web 8. The web 8 hasa flat vertically disposed front face forming a portion-of a thrustbearing 10, the other portion 12 of which integrally depends from therear of a base frame 14 of the attachment.

Rearwardly of the thrust bearing 10, the base frame 14 by means of asuitable support hereinafter described carries a so-called swivelconveyor 16, preferably cleated and secured to the support by a firstmounting means comprising a vertical strut pivot 18 and a horizontallydisposed anti-friction bipartite turntable 20 which are verticallyspaced apart. 1

The spaced apart pivot 18 and turntable 20 define a common vertical axis22 for the swivel conveyor, which axis passes downwardly through thecenter of the end of the conveyor which slopes diagonally forwardly andwhich forms a conveyor inlet 23 therefor.

A subframe 24 for scraping, which inclines diagonally rearwardly, has afixed foremost position on the base frame 14.

By means of the trailing rear extremities of the C- frame legs 6, thebase frame 14 of the attachment is connected to a hereinafter describedtractor, by means of a spaced apart pair of side trunnions 26. The twotrunnions of the pair defined a fixed transverse horizontal axis and theattachment undergoes up and down movement about that axis. The movementhas a resulting vertical arc of swing.

The total range is between an unpivoted raised position illustrated inbroken lines in FIG. 1 and a normal lower, solid line position intowhich the scraping subframe 24 is arranged to be pivoted, with ascraping portion thereof located below ground to dig out an in situground stratum.

, SUBFRAME COMPONENTS The subframe 24 is essentially a long straighthousing carrying, as the four major components thereof, a full widthdigger scoop which extends clear across the front of the subframe, fromone side to the other, a

.diagonally rearwardly inclined endless elevator 32, an

ELEVATOR 32 The endless elevator 32 on the subframe has undershotoperation, i.e., rotates in the direction of the arrow, FIG. 1, andcomprises oppositely moving upper drag chain flight 38 and lower dragchain flight 40 sections. Integral chain bights interconnect the twoflight sections by wrapping around bottom and top sprockets 42 and 44 soas to keep both flights stretched taut between the sprockets.

A hydraulic motor powered shaft 46 drivingly supports the sprockets 44at the top of the subframe 24 for rotation on a fixed transversehorizontal axis to maintain continuous undershot elevator operation. Ashaft structure 47 in the mouth of and extending horizontally across thescoop 30 rotatably supports the bottom sprockets 42 on a center sectionof the shaft structure, and the shaft structure 47 at each end thereofcarries several blades of an interrupted type auger 48.

scoop 30 The digger scoop 30 at the mouth has transversely spaced apartsides 50 providing side cutting edges disposed in longitudinal verticalplanes, and a scraper blade 52 presenting an intervening bottom cuttingedge between the sides.

A relatively narrow throat 54 (FIG. 2) at the rear of the scoop receivesan up moving, endless succession of material pushers comprised oftransverse cutting paddles 56 carried on the continuously moving chainof the elevator 32. Some of the up-coming material into the scoop makesits entry centrally without change of direction. The rest enters at theopposite mouth sides 58, which are lateral extensions curving along thearc 60 of a circle (See FIG. 1). The continuously rotating blades 48 ofthe'augers move the material from the sides medially to a point ofconfluence at which the paddles 56 change the direction of the materialat right angles into a path inclining diagonally rearwardly.

INTERCONNECTING CONVEYOR 34 The interconnecting endless belt conveyor 34has oppositely moving upper flight 62 and lower flight 64 sections.Supporting rollers for the flight sections consist of a belt take-uproller 66 near the top engaging the lower flight 64, a lower roller 68which idles, an upper roller 70 the shaft of which is hydraulicallypowerdriven, and a row of support rollers 72 coextensive with and inengagement with the underside of the upper flight 62. The upper flight62 and the confronting lower drag chain flight 40 of the undershotelevator cooperatively discharge in the common direction of thediagonally rearwardly inclined arrows (FIG. 1) through a discharge mouth74 common thereto and rearwardly directed.

DEPTH CONTROL 36 For purposes of below ground depth control, thesubframe 24 has identical left and right front caster suspensionsprovided with separate hydraulic jack control means, not shown, for thenecessary independent extensible and retractive movements. Eachcomprises a rearwardly pivoted front caster 76, a caster fork 78carrying the caster in a diagonally downward and rear position, and avertically disposed cylinder and piston jack 80 in the suspension. Thepiston or plunger in each jack is connected by the associated casterfork to the concerned caster suspension, and the cylinder outside of thepiston is affixed to the base frame 14, receiving the plunger forturning and sliding within the cylinder to afford relative verticalmovement of the frame and relative turning movement of the caster wheel76. In effecting the vertical movement referred to, the stroke of thetwo jacks 80 moves the attachment in a preferable scoop range betweenabout 12 inches below ground line, and about 24 inches above ground linefor transport purposes and stock pile work.

SUBFRAME OPERATION As the vehicle advances in a forward crowdingoperation, the digger scoop 30 continuously removes, depending upon theheight set by the depth control, loose earth, in-place earth, stock pileearth, sand, or graveL'The material so removed is expelled generallyhorizontally rearwardly of the subframe 24 through the discharge mouth74.

SWIVEL CONVEYOR COMPONENTS The swivel conveyor 16 is straight and hasoppositely moving upper flight 82 and lower flight 84 sections of anendless belt. The supporting rollers for the belt consist of a take-uproller 86, a lower roller 88 which idles, an upper roller 90 the shaftof which is hydraulically power driven, and a row of support rollers 92against the underside of and coextensive with the upper flight 82 of thebelt. A conveyor connected fork 94 and a strut-pivot-connected hydrauliccylinder 96 have a pin interconnection 98 and provide an adjustableuniversal jointed two axis cantilever support for the swivel conveyor16.

A spaced-apart pair of upright side frames 100 on the base frame 14provides support for the strut pivot 18 at the apex of a horizontalV-shaped cantilever frame with front legs 102 each extending forwardlyand outwardly to one side of the vehicle and connected to the uprightside-frame 100 at that side. Two double-acting conveyor swivelingcylinders 106 (FIG. 2) are connected between the underside of the swivelconveyor 16 adjacent the inlet 23 of the latter and the two side frames100 to turn the turntable.

SWIVEL CONVEYOR OPERATION The strut-pivot-connected hydraulic cylinder96 swings the conveyor 16 about a conveyor horizontal axis 108 (coaxialwith lower roller 88) in vertical arcs such as the conveyor vertical arc110 as shown in FIG. 1. The swivel cylinders 106 cooperate as indicatedin turning the conveyor 16 about the vertical axis 22 so as to swing ingenerally horizontal planes in arcs such as the horizontal arc ofmovement 1 12 shown in FIG. 2.

The upper flight 82 of the belt has a speed preferably about 600 ft. perminute and discharges the material in the direction of the diagonallyrearwardly inclined arrow for free fall thereafter.

TRACTOR engine 124 in the customary place covered by a generallyhorizontally disposed hood 126.

The design is for a so-called hydraulic loader. The hydraulic system andthe pumps, motors, and valves therein areall conventional, and for themost part are omitted for simplifications sake. A rear mounted loaderengine 128 behind the operator and fuel tank of the tractor ispreferably of about 200 horsepower rating and drives all of the pumpmeans generally indicated at 129 in the hydraulic system.

CAB AND CONTROLS In actual excavating, the operators station used is inthe general area of, and above, the left front caster wheel 76 (FIG. 2).

And in that connection, an advantageous feature present is that thewheels in turn are located immediately back of the cutting edge of thescraper blade 52. Another feature is that the only storage capacityprovided on the vehicle is the material in transit; no material iscollected for transporting as a batch, such as commonly done in existingtransport devices like scraping and transporting vehicles.

As more particularly provided at the operators station, an enclosed cab130 houses a control wheel 132 (FIG. 2) for remote hand-steering of thevehicle by driving. A drivers seat 134 is supported by the cab to therear of the control wheel, and the cab is suitably supported on an outrigger platform 136 (FIG. 1) carried by the base frame.

THRUST BEARING For accommodating to twists in the ground surface 138,the thrust bearing includes a fore and aft extending center pivot 140about which the lubricated interfaces 142 of the thrust bearingrelatively roll on the longitudinal axis 144 of the pivot.

OVERALL OPERATION In a working operation, such as doing scraper work forexample, the vehicle slowly moves straightaway toward the beginningpoint in a line of scrape desired. At that point, hydraulic fluid flowbeing appropriately exhausted therefrom causes the jacks 80 tosimultaneously foreshorten as the vehicle continues slow movementforwardly. The jacks 80 are stopped at the right amount of extension,and the ground surface 138 is scraped in situ to a depth down toapproximately 12 inches if desired. A scraping capacity of preferably 25to 30 cu. yd. of material per minute is preferred.

Traction and stability are important features hereof, provided by thetracks 118 (FIG. 2) of well known large flotation and traction capacity.A 60 inch belt width for the swivel conveyor 16 is preferable, andmaterial is loaded therefrom to the body of either a highway vehicle oran off-road vehicle, located to either side of the continuous excavatingvehicle or to the rear thereof. The vehicle being loaded proceeds at therate of movement of the continuous excavating vehicle in an adjacentposition paralleling the movement and in the indicated location at therear or either side.

The crawler tractor is freed for other work by blocking up the rearextremities of the C-frame arms 6, disconnecting the arms at thetrunnions 26,- and backing out the tractor from beneath the conveyor 16and from between the arms 6. Manifestly, it is a fact that the cylinderpivot point at 18, the conveyor turn point at 22, and the front engine124 are vertically spaced apart and generally aligned on the commonupright axis 22. It is a further fact that the cantilever support table104 is supported by the base frame 14 and side frames 100 innon-contacting relation at all points to the hood 126 and other parts ofthe tractor.

The vertical clearance is essential, but is not a constant size.Differential vertical movement of the caster wheels 76 by the controlmeans previously indicated tilts the attachment about the fore and aftextending pivot deliberately causing the attachment to be relativelyhigher at one side when the swivel conveyor 16 is at or to be laterallyswung to that side of the tractor. Allowance is thus made for weighttransfer of the swivel conveyor. In the illustrated example of therightwardly swung position of the swivel conveyor 16 as shown in FIG. 2,the right side of the attachment is made higher by extending the rightfront caster wheel 76 farther than the left front caster wheel 76.

The caster wheels 76 function to enable the attachment to pivot about avertical axis down through and defined by the crawler tractor as itturns due to being steered by the operator. That is, the structureconforms in its turning to the turn axis defined by the tractordepending upon its oppositely moving tracks and the relative speeds atwhich the tractor is driving them.

Variations within the spirit and scope of the invention described areequally comprehended by the foregoing description.

What is claimed is:

1. Front end continuous loader comprising:

a C'frame with legs thereon laterally spaced apart and extendingrearwardly;

a mobile scraping frame secured by a center thrust bearing (l0) to, andpushed by, the C-frame; said scraping frame inclining diagonally andrearwardly from a lower forward end, which is normally below ground, toan upper end;

said center thrust bearing defining a fore and aft extending pivot andincluding a flat vertically disposed front face formed on the C-frame;

a mutually confronting flat portion depending integrally from the rearof the scraping frame;

said fore and aft extending pivot 140) pivotally joining said face andportion on a single axis for relative movement between the C-frame andscraping frame;

lubricating interfaces (142) on the mutually confronting flat face andflat portion to limit relative movement to rolling motion about thesingle axis a tractor between the legs of the C-frame, and beneath thescraping frame at a point intermediate the ends thereof and supportingthe scraping frame for up and down movement about a generally horizontalaxis passing through the rear ends of the C-frame legs;

an elevator on the scraping frame provided with a cooperating digger atsaid lower forward end of the scraping frame;

a first endless conveyor effective for side casting, having an inlet andhaving adjacent said inlet means connecting the conveyor to the scrapingframe to afford swinging movement of the conveyor from medially tolaterally of the tractor to effect the side casting;

an interconnecting conveyor on the scraping frame having an endless beltsubstantially coextensive with the elevator and communicatively intandem between the digger and the first conveyor inlet; and

independent wheel suspensions on the scraping frame carried so that eachone is adjacent but behind one side of the digger, and having powermeans whereby the suspensions are differentially adjustable to tilt theframe about said fore and aft extending pivot so that the frame isrelatively higher at one side when the first conveyor is at, or to belaterally swung to, that side of the tractor.

1. Front end continuous loader comprising: a C-frame with legs thereonlaterally spaced apart and extending rearwardly; a mobile scraping framesecured by a center thrust bearing (10) to, and pushed by, the C-frame;said scraping frame inclining diagonally and rearwardly from a lowerforward end, which is normally below ground, to an upper end; saidcenter thrust bearing defining a fore and aft extending pivot andincluding a flat vertically disposed front face formed on the C-frame; amutually confronting flat portion depending integrally from the rear ofthe scraping frame; said fore and aft extending pivot (140) pivotallyjoining said face and portion on a single axis for relative movementbetween the C-frame and scraping frame; lubricating interfaces (142) onthe mutually confronting flat face and flat portion to limit relativemovement to rolling motion about the single axis (144); a tractorbetween the legs of the C-frame, and beneath the scraping frame at apoint intermediate the ends thereof and supporting the scraping framefor up and down movement about a generally horizontal axis passingthrough the rear ends of the C-frame legs; an elevator on the scrapingframe provided with a cooperating digger at said lowEr forward end ofthe scraping frame; a first endless conveyor effective for side casting,having an inlet and having adjacent said inlet means connecting theconveyor to the scraping frame to afford swinging movement of theconveyor from medially to laterally of the tractor to effect the sidecasting; an interconnecting conveyor on the scraping frame having anendless belt substantially coextensive with the elevator andcommunicatively in tandem between the digger and the first conveyorinlet; and independent wheel suspensions on the scraping frame carriedso that each one is adjacent but behind one side of the digger, andhaving power means whereby the suspensions are differentially adjustableto tilt the frame about said fore and aft extending pivot so that theframe is relatively higher at one side when the first conveyor is at, orto be laterally swung to, that side of the tractor.